U.S. patent number 4,087,117 [Application Number 05/714,059] was granted by the patent office on 1978-05-02 for motor vehicle rear suspension system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ford Motor Company. Invention is credited to John F. G. Brace, Joseph L. Dreissiger, Anthony N. C. Earle.
United States Patent |
4,087,117 |
Brace , et al. |
May 2, 1978 |
Motor vehicle rear suspension system
Abstract
In a motor vehicle wheel suspension system according to this
disclosure, the vehicle body is supported on a rigid rear axle by
left and right coil springs. A pair of longitudinal suspension arms
are pivotally connected to left and right axle brackets and to the
vehicle body. The lower ends of left and right shock absorbers are
connected to the axle brackets by pivots having transverse
horizontal axes that are situated rearwardly of the axle. Each
shock absorber has a link that is rigid with an intermediate part
thereof and extends forwardly. Each link is connected to the
adjacent one of the axle brackets by a pivot having a vertical
axis. The construction of the connection between the shock
absorbers and the axle permits the shock absorbers to function as
reaction members with respect to braking torque loads on the axle.
A transverse Panhard rod locates the body lateral with respect to
the axle.
Inventors: |
Brace; John F. G. (Billericay,
EN), Dreissiger; Joseph L. (Benfleet, EN),
Earle; Anthony N. C. (Shenfield, EN) |
Assignee: |
Ford Motor Company (Dearborn,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
24868617 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/714,059 |
Filed: |
August 13, 1976 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/124.179 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60G
9/00 (20130101); B60G 13/005 (20130101); B60G
2200/314 (20130101); B60G 2200/341 (20130101); B60G
2202/12 (20130101); B60G 2204/124 (20130101); B60G
2204/128 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60G
13/00 (20060101); B60G 9/00 (20060101); B60G
011/36 () |
Field of
Search: |
;280/724,715,718,720,688
;267/18,41,163R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Bertsch; Richard A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sadler; Clifford L. Zerschling;
Keith L.
Claims
We claim:
1. A rear suspension system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle
body;
an axle rotatably supporting left and right road wheels;
suspension means interconnecting said vehicle body and said
axle;
said suspension means including left and right longitudinally
extending suspension arms;
pivot means povitally connecting said arms to said vehicle body and
to said axle;
left and right coil springs constructed to resiliently support a
portion of the mass of said vehicle body on said axle;
left and right generally vertically arranged telescopic shock
absorber struts;
left and right first resilient pivot means connecting said left and
right shock absorber struts, respectively, to said axle;
left and right second resilient pivot means spaced apart from said
first resilient pivot means connecting said left and right shock
absorber struts, respectively, to said axle;
means constructed to limit laterial displacement of said body
relative to said axle;
a Panhard rod arranged generally transversely of said vehicle body
and having one end pivotally connected to said vehicle body and its
other end pivotally connected to said axle.
2. A rear suspension system for a motor vehicle having a vehicle
body;
an axle rotatably supporting left and right road wheels;
suspension means interconnecting said vehicle body and said
axle;
said suspension means including left and right longitudinally
extending suspension arms;
pivot means pivotally connecting said arms to said vehicle body and
to said axle;
left and right coil springs constructed to resiliently support a
portion of the mass of said vehicle body on said axle;
left and right generally vertically arranged telescopic shock
absorber struts;
said shock absorber struts having their lower ends pivotally
connected to said axle by first resilient pivot means;
said first resilient pivot means having a transverse pivot axis
located rearwardly and downwardly from the axis of rotation of said
road wheels;
a link rigidly connected to each of said shock absorber struts and
extending forwardly therefrom;
said link being disposed above said axle;
a second resilient pivot means connecting the forward end of said
link of each of said struts to said axle;
said second resilient pivot means having a vertical pivot axis;
a Panhard rod extending generally transversely of said vehicle body
and pivotally connected to said body and to said axle.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
The present invention concerns rear suspension systems for motor
vehicles and, more particularly, is concerned with a unique
suspension construction having a unique mounting for the rear shock
absorbers. A suspension according to the present invention is an
improvement upon the suspension disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,860,259 issued Jan. 14, 1975 and assigned to the assignee of this
patent.
In a motor vehicle rear suspension system according to this
disclosure, the sprung part of the vehicle is supported on a rigid
rear axle by left and right coil springs. Left and right
longitudinal suspension arms are pivotally connected to the vehicle
body and to left and right brackets rigid with the rear axle. A
Panhard rod extends between the body and the axle and laterally
locates one with respect to the other.
The lower end of left and right shock absorbers are pivotally
connected to the axle brackets about transverse horizontal axes
disposed to the rear of the axle. A link rigid with an intermediate
part of each shock absorber extends forwardly therefrom and is
pivotally connected to the adjacent bracket about an axis that
extends in a vertical direction, the vertical axis being disposed
forwardly of the axle.
A vehicle suspension according to the present invention is
characterized by its superior performance and simplicity of
construction. It is particularly well suited to light weight front
wheel drive passenger cars. One feature of the suspension is the
unique construction connecting the shock absorbers to the axle
which allows the shock absorbers to carry braking torque loads.
These loads on the axle are transmitted to the shock absorbers
without inhibiting roll movement of the vehicle body relative to
the axle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The many objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed
discussion and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a rear suspension
for a motor vehicle according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly exploded, of the rear
suspension of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the presently preferred embodiment of the
invention. A rigid rear axle 20 rotatably supports left and right
road wheels at its outer ends. The vehicle body 22 is resiliently
supported on the axle 20 by means of left and right coil springs 24
and 26 which have their upper ends engaging spring seats formed in
the vehicle body and the lower ends engaging spring seats welded to
the axle 20. Left and right axle brackets 28 and 30, each having a
generally U-shape downwardly open configuration, are welded to the
underside of the axle 20 adjacent either end thereof. Left and
right shock absorbers 32 and 34 each have an eye at its lower end
that contains a resilient bushing. Bolts 36, which pass through the
resilient bushings, secure the lower ends of the shock absorbers 32
and 34 to the rearwards ends of the left and right axle brackets 28
and 30. Each of the shock absorbers 32 and 34 extends generally
upwardly behind the axle 20 and has its upper end connected to the
vehicle body portion 38 by means of a mounting construction that
includes resilient elements 40.
The transverse axle 20 is located logitudinally in the vehicle body
by longitudinally extending suspension arms 42 and 44. The forward
end of the left arm 42 supports a resilient bushing 46, which is
secured to the U-shaped bracket member 48 formed integrally of the
vehicle body 22, by means of a bolt 50. Similarly, the right
suspension arm 44 is connected to a channel portion 52 of the
vehicle body 22 by means of a pivot bolt 54.
The rearward end of the suspension arm 42 has an eye that contains
a resilient bushing 56 which is secured to the bracket 28 by means
of a pivot bolt 58. A resilient bushing 60 at the rearward end of
the right suspension arm 44 is joined to the axle bracket 30 by a
pivot bolt 62.
The axle 20 is restrained from rotational movement under torsional
loads (such as occur during braking) by the manner in which the
shock absorbers 32 and 34 are connected to the axle. The lower ends
of the shock absorbers 32 and 34 are secured to the brackets 28 and
30 by the bolts 36 as already described. In addition, links 64 and
66 have their rearward ends rigidly secured, as by welding, to
intermediate location on the left and right shock absorbers 32 and
34. Each of the links 64 and 66 extends forwardly across the axle
20. The forward ends of links 64 and 66 have eyes that contain
bushings which engage upstanding pins 68 and 70 welded to the left
and right axle brackets 28 and 30.
A Panhard rod 72 has its upper end pivotally connected to a bracket
78 that is welded to the vehicle body 22. The lower end of the
Panhard rod 76 is pivotally connected to a bracket welded to the
axle 20. Panhard rod 76 is provided for lateral guidance of the
axle 20.
OPERATION
During jounce and rebound movement of the axle 20 the suspension
arms 42 and 44 locate the axle longitudinally with respect to the
vehicle body 22. The vehicle body is resiliently supported on the
axle 20 by the left and right coil springs 24 and 26. Jounce and
rebound movement of the axle 20 is damped by the hydraulic shock
absorbers 32 and 34. During braking, torsional loads on the axle 20
are transmitted to the vehicle body 22 by means of the unique
connection between the shock absorbers 32 and 34 and the axle
20.
The shock absorbers prevent the axle 20 from rotating about a
transverse horizontal axis. The unique connections between the
shock absorbers 32 and 34 and the axle permit the shock absorbers
to serve as reaction members for braking torque loads. The pivotal
connections between the lower ends of the shock absorbers 32 and 34
with the brackets 28 and 30 and the connections between the links
64 and 66 with the pins 68 and 70 permits roll of the vehicle body
about a longitudinal axis without imposing an objectionable bending
load on the shock absorbers.
The foregoing description presents the presently preferred
embodiment of this invention. Modifications and alterations may
occur to those skilled in the art that come within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *